


Dancing With The Stars

by 1JettaPug



Category: KISS (Comics), KISS (Dark Horse Comics), KISS (Dynamite Entertainment Comics), KISS (IDW Comics), KISS (US Band), Marvel, Marvel (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Comic, Dancing, Established Relationship, Feels, Fluff, Flying, Implied Relationships, M/M, Post-Break Up, Romance, Slash, Suicidal Thoughts, Superpowers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-09-18 21:47:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20320012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1JettaPug/pseuds/1JettaPug
Summary: All of them had gone on their own separate paths. Starchild can't help but find himself retracing his steps, though, and ends up walking down memory lane. He can't but help think back to his time with the Celestial as he stares out at the stars above.





	Dancing With The Stars

Starchild stood on the edge of a cliff over the ocean and spread his arms out, capturing the night sky in his hold for only a moment.

He stood on the edge of the cliff and considered jumping... jumping in his human form. The ocean was vast below him, dark, deep, crashing in waves against the rocks. And the sky… the sky was a crisp, beautiful azure, puffy clouds scudding their way across. Starchild inhaled deeply, spread his arms wider, taking in the breeze, letting it caress him in downsweeps and buffet him when it swelled.

He closed his eyes, tried to imagine himself leaning back into a warm, lean torso, feeling two arms wrap themselves tightly around him as the silvers and sapphires on their armor glistened in the evening sun.

He missed the Spaceman. He missed being in the sky with him. Flying about with Ace had been some of his most intimate moments with him. Just the two of them alone, up in the sky and the clouds, with the birds and the stars.

He turned and held out a hand.

Suddenly, it felt like the first time up on these cliffs. He once felt nervous, but he couldn’t resist the mischief in that smile; never had, though he played otherwise. He stepped forward on bare feet, palm touching reaching rough guitar playing fingertips.

“_Trust me?_” he asked, and there was wasn't anything in the world that could convince Paul that he was kidding, joking. He was being serious. He meant it, and Paul smiled for the first time that day.

“_Sure, Ace,_” he answered, and he meant it. His choice was made. His choice was made for the rest of his life.

He about fell into Ace's arms as they both gripped their talismans, suddenly transforming into their other forms. Starchild felt himself being lifted up by the waist, and when he opened his eyes, he smiled brightly. All around them was the color of space, and openness, and everything around them was lit up with a new kind of light and life.

Ace had only a bark of a laugh as warning before Paul grabbed his other hand and twisted, a pull of incredible power in his hands now and then-

The Space Ace threw the Starchild, arms fluttering about awkwardly as he struggled to fly about, in the warm night air. Starchild let out a yelp of surprise, but his powers were strong, and he managed to steady himself rather quickly.

Ace's laugh was boyishly delighted as he danced upward on a burst of wind. 

Starchild laughed, too. This was too much fun. It made him remember the early days of their powers, leaping from building to building in New York City, a reckless tumble of youth and energy and discovery. The Demon and the Catman normally stayed away, avoiding such careless actions. Gene, because he held himself at a high standard with his powers and identity, always proclaiming they should be more like the Man of Steel or the Dark Knight. Peter, because he was fully convinced he had nine lives, and he was paranoid more than anything over losing even one to a simple fall.

The sound of a flapping cape brought Starchild's attention back into the heat of the moment. Ace's mouth was open in a wide grin, his eyes gleaming in the moonlight. He floated down to him, his body long and warm and beautiful, hair dancing in the wind. Over his shoulders, billions of stars, the splash of a galaxy, the spark of planets. 

Starchild loved it all. He smiled softly as Ace ran his fingers along his messy curls. Starchild blushed, turning his cheek, and he brought his hand up. Their fingers brush, then break away, and they circle each other in the sky, lazy circles, the miracle of flying, the guidance of their abilities.

The Spaceman's laugh once more flew out into the wind. It was wild and thrilled, and the Starchild didn’t believe any other sound in heaven or earth could ever compare to it. It made his chest swell, and once his heart was full to bursting, and the stars were in Ace’s eyes, he lost himself for good in them.

Starchild would've given up the world to stay, to live in that moment with him forever....

It wasn't to last, though.

Soon, Ace giggled and dove downward, looking like a bullet toward the twinkling waters. Starchild was so shocked by the move that he forgot to breathe for a moment, and then he plummeted down after him. If Space Ace wanted to play, then the Starchild wouldn't deny him a bit of fun.

At the very last moment, Ace twisted and jutted out his thumbs, teleporting himself so that he stood above the water just a few feet beside the spot he was about to splash down onto. His space boots barely touched the surface of the water and sent out gentle ripples.

Starchild grinned, then concentrated, and he stepped onto the delicate surface tension to stand beside him with only the faintest of wobbles. Little waves teased the tops of their boots. Starchild reached out this time, and the Spaceman took his hand. 

“_Not bad, Paulie,_” he murmured, and there was this sort of genuine praise that was in his voice that filled Starchild's chest. "_You fly well without a cape._"

Paul snorted, "_Thanks, Ace,_"

They glided along the water together, hand on top of a padded shoulder, one at a soft waist, and all while they waltzed across the sea. Small waves kicked up cool spatters of water and salt, and Ace giggled. The beautiful look in his eyes coupled with those mesmerizing chuckles made the Starchild's soul swell and dance around them. A purple ribbon encircled them as they danced together in the moonlight. The reflected stars dance around their boots. A soft gasp escaped Starchild as the Space Ace twirled him around, then pulled him close. 

Ace always took the lead. 

Starchild stole that first kiss, though....

Paul opened his eyes and sighed.

That had been so.... so very long ago.

Paul could still fly anytime he wanted, but it was hardly the same. He could only go so far... could only fly so far out until he was brushing up against the outer edges of the atmosphere.

He couldn't do it...

Ace was the one who ran out there. He was the one who left in his quest to master the universe, to obtain knowledge that had never been sought before. Paul watched him. Watched him fly up, up, up, into the sky, into the stars when night fell. The Starchild stretched his hands over his head, felt at the air with his fingers, trying to grab hold of it, wanting it to carry him after him.

Paul wanted to jump just to feel it, the sensation of being in the air again. But he couldn't do it. He wouldn't. Not without Ace... and without Ace... Well, no, he wouldn’t jump. He’d never jump. He never considered it before for morbid reasons, only considered it for the sensation and the way his heart and soul yearned to fly once more. He would have dreams of flying with Ace, and sometimes, would wake from them disappointed that he wasn't beside him in the morning.

The Starchild was grounded... Paul was stranded, and he wanted to jump from the cliff to fly, to take off into the air and drift and soar with his Spaceman once more. He opened his eyes, looked down below him, the height dizzying and thrilling.

But no. He wouldn’t jump. He’d never jump without Ace there to catch him.


End file.
